what does our community think about the bold move to ban trans fats from use in new york city restaurants?

i am all for it, but maybe a ban is a little unconstitutional. what if we just outlawed all lawsuits that try to blame food preparers?

Tue. Dec 5, 1:19pm

If that ban is unconstitutional, then surely everything the FDA does is too? It's a tough call. I'm not a fan of the "babysitter society" where everything and anything carries warnings, stuff is over-regulated, etc. However, there has to be some protection for less educated (usually lower income group) people, who may not know what trans fats do.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006, 1:56 PM

what about labelling foods w/ trans fats with a surgeon general warning label, similar to those on alcohol & cigarettes? i've thought this was a good idea for a long time.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006, 1:59 PM

wow

I thought that was a joke. They really banned trans fat? I just picture these shady little joints that will be selling the offending foods - like a speakeasy!

we want all this freedom, but then turn around and sue when we have unwanted consequences as a result of our own poor decisions....ban the ban!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 11:56 AM

Good on you!

I think it's fantastik! No one will ever miss all those trans fats.

This reminds me of Quantum Leap. The episode where AL talks about missing fried food because it's been outlawed in the future. I always thought that was so funny. Now we've mad the first step! haha.

I think people have the right to do whatever they want in their own homes, but if you are going to sell products to the consumer, you should be morally and ethically aware and responsible for what those products can potentially do to the consumer's health.

Another health law...
Being able to go to smoke-free bars in Philly has been amazing! Smoke at home all you want--keep it out of bars and restaurants! Kill yourself with trans fats at home, too!

Yeah for being progressive!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 1:27 PM

WHEN WILL FUR BE BANNED?

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 1:38 PM

I think another reason for banning it in restaurants is that food doesn't come with lables when you eat out. If you want to, you can check food labels when you shop and avoid transfats, but it's harder when eating out.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 1:54 PM

maybe restaurants who prefer to serve food prepared with trans fats should post a sticker on their menus: Eat Here at Your Own Risk

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 2:12 PM

and people still would! just like the warnings on cigarette packs don't stop people from smoking!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 2:41 PM

Should the government regulate businesses, though?

I think that a ban goes too far - I believe that a business-owner should be allowed to choose what products, types of foods, etc. that they will sell or not sell; or for that matter, allow smoking or not - I also live in one of those smoke-free cities. It's up to the consumer to be informed and make the choice to eat those trans-fats (we all know by now that those fried foods have trans-fats, so it's not a good excuse that they're not labeled). If a business owner chooses to use trans fats and begins to lose business because his/her clients are eating elsewhere, that business owner will have to make changes (additional menu items, removal of trans fats) to stay competitive.

You always have a choice - you can eat the trans fats, or not. You can go to an establishment that allows smoking, or not. It really comes down to personal responsibility and one's willingness to deal with the consequences of their actions - "I am fat becuase I eat too much", "I put myself at risk for health problems becuase I choose to eat trans fats" - those are choices that one makes, not unavoidable circumstances.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006, 2:59 PM

There was a report from Danmark I belive that when they banned trans fats the people dying from heart attacks went down to 30%. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.
Trans fats are bad period. I can't belive how many people here said that consumer should chose. Well you average consumer is either stupid or opportunistic eater. If it is not banned it won't work.

Yeah some people still smoke but a lot of people have quit and are trying to quit. Message is too strong to ignore.
I wish I lived in NYC!

Thursday, December 07, 2006, 10:55 AM

i agree that trans fats are bad and we should try not to eat them. however, i don't think a ban is necessary or right.

restaurants should be allowed to sell products with trans fats as long as they put a disclaimer on their menu that tells you which items contain trans fats. we are adults, if we are informed we can make decisions for ourselves. what's next? banning alcohol? saturated fat is bad for you-yet no one is trying to take away cheese or red meat?

Thursday, December 07, 2006, 12:24 PM

Do you know what trans fats do to you?

OK, I'm all for personal choice, but who among us did not think (until recently) that margarine was a better choice than butter? Turns out the trans fat in margarine not only raises your bad cholesterol, it decreases your good cholesterol. That's a double whammy! That's also the case with lots of "reduced fat" potato chips and cookies that are loaded with trans fats (or were)- people were trying to eat better, and ended up getting a worse deal than they had with lard and butter.
That's not to say people who were eating donuts were in the dark about these fats, if they thought about them at all, but they are dangerous and until recently, the full extent of their harmful effects was not known. They are (or were) even in commercially prepared breads.
I think this is a step in the right direction for food proprietors to be more responsible about the products they sell to the public.
Looks like it's not much of a mystery why our grandmothers and granddads weren't as bad off as we are, even though they consumed lard, butter, and meat: among other things, the foods they ate were fresh, often home-cooked, and just generally better for your health!
I support the trans fat ban, and can't wait til it gets to other parts of the US!
Chicago: next!

Friday, December 08, 2006, 12:51 PM

Well, I think that as a country when we're getting fatter and fatter and fatter, and I look around and see all these overweight kids - and this is costing our country so much money that could be spent on providing health services for the uninsured and those who are really in great need, and not to mention all of the human suffering, well, I just think that 'personal choice' is overrated.

Transfat is literally killing us, and if the food industry isn't going to do the right things morally and ethically, then I'm all for legislation that compels them to do that.

For your information, in Massachusetts we've got a meeting coming up in Boston in the next few weeks that will look at whether NYC's moves should also be implemented here. I'm all for it.

and the previous poster, you are so right - I was shocked and appauled to see how bad margarine was for us. I know growing up my mum moved us from butter to margarine because she believed it was better for us. Grrrr lol.